At the present time, it is common in kitchens and elsewhere, to provide a roll of paper towels, for various uses. The paper towels can be used for numerous purposes, where it is desired to clean surfaces, or mop up liquids. Many dispensers or holders for paper towels have been proposed. A common design is intended for mounting on a flat surface, usually the underside of a cabinet, and includes two arms. The arms include cylindrical bearing surfaces extending towards one another, on which a roll of paper towels is mounted. The roll of paper towels includes a central, cardboard tube, that engages the bearing surfaces. To engage the roll with the bearing surfaces, the bearing surfaces have to be sprung apart. This action can be awkward. Further, if a certain degree of care is not exercised, then the ends of the cardboard tube become damaged, making it difficult to engage the bearing surfaces. Further, this design requires the arms to be spring-loaded, and in some cases the arms can be relatively easily damaged.
In use, a user unwinds the roll by pulling a free end of the roll. The individual paper towels are initially partially separated by perforations. To detach an individual towel, it has to be torn from the roll. The spring arms are intended to grip the roll sufficiently, to enable each sheet to be torn off. However, in many cases the grip is insufficient, so that the roll of towels has to be held steady with the other hand, whilst one towel is torn off. Also, the spring action of the arms makes no allowance for the varying diameter of the roll as the towels are used up.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a dispenser for a roll of paper towels or the like, which enables the roll to be quickly and easily mounted in it. Preferably, the roll should be mounted, without requiring the engagement of any bearing elements in its central tube. The dispenser should also enable each individual towel to be torn off simply by a one-handed operation, and this should be easily accomplished, for all sizes of roll. It is also desirable that a dispenser should have a clean, asthetic appearance, and protect the roll of towels from accidental damage or soiling.